Controversy has continued to swirl around a statement made by Mr Wale Ajetunmobi, the suspended Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Ajetunmobi had claimed in a now-deleted post on Sunday that some arsonists who burnt down Television Continental during the #EndSARS protests in the state had been “hunted and executed.”
Following the comment, many Nigerians on social media interpreted the comment as an admission of state involvement in suspected extrajudicial killings during the 2020 protests against police brutality and the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
The protests were followed by intense debates over the true number of casualties, with the Lagos State Government consistently maintaining that no extrajudicial killings took place.
In the tweet, Ajetunmobi claimed that one of the allegedly “executed” individuals was a young boy, whose name was not disclosed, and who worked as a cooking gas trader in the Ketu area of Lagos.
The deleted tweet read, “The full story of people who burnt down TVC in 2020 will be told one day, with gory clips and images. One thing to note: the majority of them have been hunted down and executed.
“One of them, a young boy trading in cooking gas around Ketu, was found with an AK-47 at the site. Even his neighbours were shocked. But the full gist is better saved for later.”
Ajetunmobi later refuted claims of extrajudicial killings, stating that the use of the term “execution” in his comment was an unintended “error.”
The tweet read, “This excerpt was quoted out of context, and there were a series of comments made under the same post that better explained what was intended. As I further explained in the said tweet, no extra-judicial killing was insinuated. The word ‘executed’ was erroneously used and not intended in the context of that casual conversation.
“What was written in the entire conversation reflected personal opinion and not the position of any authority or the entity in which I work. The post and other comments had been taken down, even before this publication.”
However, Ajetunmobi’s clarification appeared insufficient to appease his principal, the state governor.
A statement issued by Gboyega Akosile, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, announced Ajetunmobi’s suspension.
According to the statement, Ajetunmobi’s suspension “comes on the heels of the misrepresentation of facts on his personal X account on a past incident.”
Akosile noted that the Sanwo-Olu administration “frowns at any form of extrajudicial punishment and will not be a part of any such action. That is not who we are. That is not our way.”
However, while many Nigerians on X.com praised the governor for suspending the aide, others called for a deeper investigation into the revelations made in the comment.
Leading the call for a probe was a human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Inibehe Effiong, who urged security agencies to summon Ajetunmobi for questioning.
He partly wrote, “Suspending Wale Ajetunmobi as your aide does not address the alarming confession of extrajudicial killings made by him.”
This matter has to be investigated thoroughly by law enforcement agencies.
“He should be taken into custody immediately.”
Echoing similar sentiments, @UnckleAyo wrote, “That isn’t misrepresentation. He admitted to being in the know of extrajudicial killings. In a sane system, his head and his principal’s should roll, but given the antecedent of his principal, who is surprised?”
@Waxodigitals said, “The claim made by Mr. Wale Ajetunmobi, suggesting that arsonists were “hunted and executed,” is deeply troubling and underscores the need for accountability and transparency in governance.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s decision to suspend Ajetunmobi over a “misrepresentation of facts” is a step in the right direction, but it raises critical questions.
“Was the statement made by Ajetunmobi factual or completely fabricated? If true, it points to potential extrajudicial killings that warrant immediate investigation.
“What steps will the Lagos State Government take to restore public trust and address lingering concerns about its handling of the #EndSARS fallout? I call on relevant authorities, including @PoliceNG, @NhrcNigeria, and civil society organisations to thoroughly investigate these claims.”
@DailyJusticeAct stated, “Who knows, what else does that guy know? His confession is a huge disclosure. There is a need for a thorough investigation. A lot of innocent souls must have been lost via these internal government bandits.”
“For an aide to have said what he said, it is either that he knows what he is saying (privy to what has happened behind the scenes as a close person or aide to a senior government official) or he is spreading falsehood. Either way, he should be invited for questioning,” @Jidekuye added.